Component cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a component cooling apparatus in which it is possible to suppress resonation of a fan housing due to the rotation of the fan.  
     Four extended portions  33 A,  33 B extending into an air suction opening  25   a  are integrally formed with the duct  5 . Projected portions  35 A,  35 B projecting toward the fan  3 are integrally formed with the extended portions  33 A,  33 B respectively. The end portions of the projected portions  35 A,  35 B are arranged in contact with end portions of corner portions which are located around the housing-side mount holes  21   a  of the flange portion 21. The fan  3  is fixed inside the duct  5  by inserting a mounting member such as a screw and a bolt into each pair of a housing-side mount hole  21   a  and a duct-side mount hole  33   a  with four housing-side mount hole  21   a  and four duct-side mount hole  33   a  being aligned with each other. Accordingly, the fan housing  11  and the duct  5  are not in contact with each other except at mounting portions around the housing-side mount holes  21   a . The mounting portion of the fan housing  11  and the mounted portion of the duct  5  are in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount hole  21   a  and the duct-side mount hole  33   a  that have been aligned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a component cooling apparatus for cooling a component, such as an electronic component, by a fan disposed in a duct.

Conventionally, such a component cooling apparatus has been known that includes a fan for cooling an electronic component, disposed in a duct having an air suction opening and an air discharge opening. Typically, in such a component cooling apparatus, a housing for the fan (a fan housing) includes housing-side mount holes through which screws or bolts pass. Extended portions extending into the air suction opening or the air discharge opening are integrally formed with the duct. Duct-side mount holes are formed in the extended portions. The screws or bolts pass through a pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole which have been aligned. The fan is mounted inside the duct by making the whole extended portions of the duct in contact with the fan housing, and inserting the screw or bolt into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole which have been aligned with each other. (Refer to the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 07-38720 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-232276.)

However, the component cooling apparatus of this type has a problem that, when the fan rotates, vibration is caused and the fan housing resonates with the vibration, thereby generating noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a component cooling apparatus in which resonance of a fan housing caused by the rotation of the fan can be suppressed or prevented.

A component cooling apparatus, of which improvements the present invention is aimed at, comprises a duct and a fan. The duct includes an air suction opening and an air discharge opening. The fan includes a fan housing located in the air suction opening or the air discharge opening of the duct. The fan housing includes a plurality of mounting portions each of which includes a housing-side mount hole through which a mounting member passes. The duct includes therein a plurality of mounted portions each of which includes a duct-side mount hole through which a mounting member passes, with the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole being aligned with each other. The fan is mounted inside the duct by aligning the plurality of mounting portions with the plurality of mounted portions in contact with each other and inserting the mounting member into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned. The component cooling apparatus cools the component, a part of or whole of which is disposed inside the duct, by using air flow generated and flowed inside the duct by an operation of the fan. In the present invention, the fan housing is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct except at the plurality of the mounting portions. The plurality of mounting portions and the plurality of the mounted portions are shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount holes and the duct-side mount holes that have been aligned.

As shown in the present invention, when the plurality of mounting portions of the fan housing and the plurality of the mounted portions of the duct are in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount holes and the duct-side mount holes that have been aligned, an area where the duct and the fan housing are in contact with each other is reduced. Even when the fan vibrates due to the rotation of the fan, the vibration of the fan transmits less to the duct, thereby suppressing or preventing noise.

A fan housing may include a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion. In this case, the plurality of the mounting portions are integrally formed with the flange portion, and openings of the housing-side mount holes are open on an end surface of the flange portion. The mounted portion of the duct may includes an extended portion which is integrally formed with a wall portion of the duct and extends inwardly in the duct, and a projected portion which is integrally formed with the extended portion and projects toward the fan. An end surface of the projected portion is in contact with the end surface of the flange portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in flange portion. The end surface, which is exposed toward the fan, of the projected portion is smaller than that of the extended portion. With this arrangement, even when using a fan of which the fan housing includes the cylindrical portion and the flange portion, an area where the duct and the fan housing are in contact with each other can be easily reduced by arranging only the end surface of the projected portion to be in contact with the end surface of the flange portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole.

More specifically, the fan housing includes the cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and the flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion. This flange portion is outlined in a rectangle having four corner portions. The plurality of mounting portions are formed respectively at the corner portions of the flange portion. The housing-side mount hole pierces the corner portion in a thickness direction thereof. The duct includes the duct body including a top wall and a pair of side walls. The side walls are respectively located at either side of the top wall. The duct body surrounds the air suction opening and the air discharge opening in three directions which are orthogonal to one another. The duct body includes a component inserting opening which is disposed at a position opposing to the top wall. The duct body includes four extended portions integrally formed therewith in such a manner that the extended portions extend into the air suction opening or the air discharge opening. The two extended portions are respectively disposed in the vicinity of two corners which are formed by the top wall and the pair of side walls, and the another two extended portions are respectively positioned at two end portions of the side walls at a side of the component inserting opening. Four mounted portions of the duct each include an extended portion and a projected portion, which is integrally formed with the extended portion and projects toward the fan. The duct-side mount hole pierces the extended portion and the projected portion in a thickness direction thereof. An end surface of the projected portion is in contact with an end surface of the corner portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in the flange portion. With this arrangement, the fan can be securely fixed inside the duct at a small number (four) of projected portions, thereby suppressing or preventing a noise.

In this case, the fan my be fixed inside the duct by inserting the fan into the duct body through an component inserting opening of the duct body, and by inserting a screw or a bolt into each pair of mount holes, with four housing-side mount holes and four duct-side mount holes being aligned with each other. With this arrangement, the fan can be easily mounted inside the duct. A mounting member includes a rivet, a screw and a bolt.

According to the present invention, the fan is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct except at the plurality of mounting portions. The plurality of the mounting portions and the plurality of the mounted portions are shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount holes and the duct-side mount holes that have been aligned. Accordingly an area where the duct and the fan are in contact with each other is reduced. Even when the fan vibrates due to the rotation of the fan, the vibration of the fan transmits less to the duct, thereby suppressing or preventing noise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic component cooling apparatus according to this embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front view of the electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a bottom plan view of the electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a duct used for the electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3B is a rear side view of the duct used for the electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3C is a bottom plan view of the duct used for the electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of a component cooling apparatus according to the present invention applied as an electronic component cooling apparatus for cooling an electronic component will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the electronic component cooling apparatus. FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are respectively a front view and a bottom plan view of the electronic component cooling apparatus. In FIG. 1, a duct of the electronic component cooling apparatus is drawn in phantom for better understandings. The electronic component cooling apparatus according to this embodiment includes a heat sink 1, a fan 3 and a duct 5, as shown in the figures. The heat sink 1 is made from a metal having a high heat radiating property. The heat sink 1 includes a base 7 to which an electronic component, not shown, is to be connected and a plurality of fins 9 extending respectively from the base 7.

A fan 3 is an axial flow fan, and includes a fan housing 11 and an impeller 13. The impeller 13 is driven by a motor 17, which is supported by the fan housing 11 through five webs 15. The fan housing 11 includes a cylindrical portion 19 and a pair of flange portions 21, 23. The cylindrical portion 19 is made from a synthetic resin and forms an air channel inside which the impeller 13 is disposed. The pair of flange portions 21, 23 are integrally formed with the cylindrical portion 19 at both sides of the cylindrical portion 19. The pair of the flange portions 21, 23 are outlined in a rectangle having four corner portions. The housing-side mount holes 21 a, 23 a are respectively formed at the four corner portions of the flange portions 21, 23. The housing-side mount holes 21 a, 23 a pierce the flange portions 21, 23 respectively at the corner portions in a thickness direction. Four mounting portions of the flange portion 21 of the fan housing 11 located at an opposite side of the heat sink 1 are constituted by four housing-side mount holes 21 a and their neighboring areas of the flange portion.

The duct 5 is made from a synthetic resin, and includes a duct body 25 and four fixing portions 27, as shown in detail in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are a top plan view, a rear view, and a bottom plan view of the duct 5, respectively. The duct body 25 includes a top wall 29,and a pair of side walls 31 integrally formed with the top wall 29. The side walls are respectively located at either side of the top walls 29. The duct body 25 has a cross-sectional shape of a rectangle having one opening side. The heat sink 1 and the fan 3 are disposed side by side in the duct body 25. The duct body 25 includes an air suction opening 25 a, an air discharge opening 25 b, and a component inserting opening 25 c. The air suction opening is located at one end portion of the duct constituted by the top wall and the pair of side walls. The fan 3 is disposed at a side of the one end portion. The air discharge opening is located at the other end portion of the duct. The heat sink 1 is disposed at a side of the other end portion. The component inserting opening is located at a position opposing to the top wall 29. The fan 3, and the heat sink 1 with which an electronic component, not shown, is contacted are inserted through the component inserting opening 25 c. With this arrangement, when the impeller 13 of the fan 3 is rotated, air suctioned from the air suction opening 25 a passes through between a plurality of fins 9 in the heat sink 1, and is discharged from the air discharge opening 25 b, thereby cooling the electronic component contacted with the heat sink 1. Two fixing portions 27A and two fixing portions 27B are disposed at end portions of the pair of side walls in an opposite side to the top wall 29. Two through holes 27 a and two through holes 27 b are respectively formed in the two fixing portions 27A and two fixing portions 27B. The electronic component cooling apparatus according to this embodiment is fixed onto a circuit board, using a mounting member such as a screw which passes through respective pairs of the through holes 27 a, 27 b and through holes of the circuit board onto which the electronic component, not shown, is mounted.

As shown in detail in FIG. 3B, four extended portions 33A, 33B extending into an air suction opening 25 a are integrally formed with the duct body 25. Out of four extended portions 33A, 33B, two extended portions 33A are respectively disposed across the top wall 29 and the pair of side walls 31 in the vicinity of two corners formed by the top wall 29 and the pair of side walls 31. Another two extended portions 33B are respectively disposed at end portions of the side walls at a side of the component inserting opening 25 c. A projected portion 35A projecting toward the fan 3 is integrally formed with the extended portion 33A. Likewise a projected portion 35B projecting toward the fan 3 is integrally formed with the extended portion 33B. Duct-side mount holes 33 a respectively piercing the extended portions 33A, 33B and the projected portion 35A, 35B in a thickness direction, are respectively formed substantially in the centers of the extended portions 35A, 35B. As shown in FIG. 3B, the projected portions 35A, 35B extend toward the top wall 29. According to this embodiment, an area ratio of the end surface, which is exposed to the fan 3, of the projected portions 33A, 33B to that of the extended portions 35A, 35B is 35% (percent). The two mounted portions of the duct 5 are constituted by the extended portions 33A and the projected portions 35A. Another two mounted portions of the duct 5 are constituted by the extended portions 33B and the projected portions 35B.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4 (a partially enlarged figure of a part indicated by reference symbol M in FIG. 2B), according to this embodiment, end portions of the projected portions 35A, 35B are in contact with end portions of the corner portions respectively located around the housing-side mount holes 21 a of the flange portions 21. The fan 3 is fixed inside the duct 5 by inserting a mounting member such as a rivet R into each pair of the mount holes, with housing-side mount holes 21 a and duct-side mount holes 33 a being aligned with each other. The mounting member can include a rivet, a screw and a bolt. In this arrangement, the fan housing 11 is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct 5 except at the four mounting portions (around the housing-side mount holes 21 a). The four mounting portions (around the housing-side mount holes 21 a) and the four mounted portions (the extended portions 33A and the projected portions 35A of the duct 5, and the extended portions 33B and the projected portions 35B of the duct 5) are shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount holes 21 a and the duct-side mount holes 33 a that have been aligned.

According to the component cooling apparatus of this embodiment, four mounting portions of the fan housing 11 and four mounted portions of the duct 5 are in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount holes 21 a and the duct-side mount holes 33 a that have been aligned. As indicated with broken lines in FIG. 2A, an area where the duct 5 and the fan housing 11 are in contact with each other is small. Therefore, even when the fan vibrates due to the rotation of the fan 3, the vibration of the fan 3 transmits less to the duct 5, and the fan housing 11 is prevented from resonating, thereby suppressing or preventing noise.

In the above embodiment, the projected portions are disposed at the duct 5. The projected portions may also be disposed at the fan housing 11, or both of the fan housing 11 and the duct 5.

Further, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but various variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A component cooling apparatus for cooling a component comprising: a duct including an air suction opening and an air discharge opening, a part or whole of the component being disposed inside the duct; and a fan including a fan housing which is located in the air suction opening or the air discharge opening of the duct, the fan generating air flow inside the duct to cool the component, the fan housing including a plurality of mounting portions each of which includes a housing-side mount hole through which a mounting member passes, the duct including therein a plurality of mounted portions each of which includes a duct-side mount hole through which the mounting member passes, with the housing-side mount holes and duct-side mount holes being aligned with each other, the fan being mounted inside the duct by aligning the plurality of mounting portions with the plurality of mounted portions in contact with each other and inserting the mounting member into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned, wherein the fan housing is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct except at the plurality of the mounting portions; and the plurality of mounting portions and the plurality of the mounted portions are shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned.
 2. The component cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan housing includes a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion; the plurality of mounting portion are integrally formed with the flange portion; the openings of the housing-side mount holes are open on an end surface of the flange portion; each of the mounted portions of the duct includes an extended portion and a projected portion, the extended portion being integrally formed with a wall portion of the duct and extending inwardly in the duct, the projected portion being integrally formed with the extended portion and projecting toward the fan; and an end surface of the projected portion is in contact with the end surface of the flange portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in the flange portion.
 3. The component cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan housing includes a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion; the flange portion is outlined in a rectangle having four corner portions; the plurality of the mounting portions are respectively formed at the corner portions of the flange portion; the housing-side mount hole pierces the corner portion of the flange portion in a thickness direction thereof; the duct includes a duct body including a top wall and a pair of side walls, the side walls being respectively located at either side of the top wall; the duct body surrounds the air suction opening and the air discharge opening in three directions which are orthogonal to one another; the duct body includes a component inserting opening which is disposed at a position opposing to the top wall; the duct body includes four extended portions integrally formed therewith in such a manner that the extended portions extend into the air suction opening or the air discharge opening; the two extended portions are respectively disposed in the vicinity of two corners which are formed by the top wall and the pair of side walls, and the another two extended portions are respectively positioned at two end portions of the side walls at a side of the component inserting opening; four of the mounted portions of the duct each include the extended portion and a projected portion which is integrally formed with the extended portion and projecting toward the fan; the duct-side mount hole pierces the extended portion and the projected portion in a thickness direction thereof; and an end surface of the projected portion is in contact with an end surface of the corner portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in the flange portion.
 4. The component cooling apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fan is inserted into the duct body through the component inserting opening of the duct body, and fixed inside the duct, with four of the housing-side mount holes and four of the duct-side mount holes being aligned with each other, and the mounting member being inserted into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole.
 5. The component cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting member includes a rivet, a screw and a bolt. 